A 22-year-old man was charged Tuesday with animal cruelty for allegedly stomping on a Hawthorne couple’s 9-pound white Maltese, killing the tiny pet with purple ears following a dispute over whether he could continue to live with their granddaughter at their residence.

Rain (courtesy of the Hayes family)

Seth Estrada allegedly yelled “I killed my first dog” when police officers responded to the couple’s home on Friday and placed him in handcuffs, said the dog’s owner, Chuck Hayes.

“All the cops looked at him, like he was happy he did it,” Hayes said. “It was a little white poodle and it never bothered anybody, never. It slept with me every night. It was a really good dog.”

Suspected in other deaths

During police questioning, Estrada told detectives he had previously killed three animals, although he claimed they were all accidents, Hawthorne police Lt. James Royer said. Hayes and his wife, Holly, said they suspect Estrada is responsible for the recent death of a cat found dead in their driveway. They allege he broke the cat’s neck and tossed it from a second-story window.

Animal lovers, the Hayes said they never had a problem with any of their pets. Estrada moved in with their granddaughter about a year ago.

“He’s been periodically hurting my animals since he moved in,” Holly Hayes said. “They were all accidents, of course. It’s never been this bad.”

Told him to leave

Chuck Hayes said they finally had enough. In addition to fearing Estrada was hurting their pets, he also did not work. Hayes, a retired taxidermist, wanted him to move out of his house on 136th Street. They argued about it on Friday.

Later that day, Hayes said a neighbor told him she heard Estrada punch the dog, named Rain, three times. Each time the dog yelped.

“Then I came home and I yelled, “Rainy,” and she wouldn’t walk,” Hayes said. “I go, ‘What’s wrong, Rainy?’ I stood her up and she walked all crooked.”

Hayes said he held the dog for 30 minutes, but had to pick up his 7-year-old grandson from school. He laid the dog on a pillow on the coffee table and went outside. Before he left, Estrada ran out of the house with the dog in his arms, bleeding profusely.

“I said, “What’d you do! Give me that dog!” Hayes said. “Before I could get back to the house, it died.”

Claimed accident

Seth Estrada<br />(Courtesy of Hawthorne police)

Hayes called the police. According to an officer’s report — which Hayes was using to apply for a temporary restraining order — Estrada claimed he was trying to help the dog walk and was pushing it forward when it turned around and bit him. Estrada said he accidentally fell back and stepped on the front of the dog’s face.

Royer said Estrada provided different stories of how the dog was injured to Hayes and his girlfriend, and was arrested.

A necropsy revealed the dog suffered multiple skull fractures, broken ribs, a collapsed spleen, and internal hemorrhaging. The injuries were considered intentional, not accidental, Royer said.

Possibly more deaths

“According to our investigation, we believe that he’s responsible for the deaths of as many as three animals, this by his own admission,” Royer said. “We are still continuing to investigate.”

The Hayeses said they planned to seek a restraining order because they feared Estrada will make bail and return. Estrada remained in custody Tuesday, but his bail was just $20,000.

Holly Hayes said they suspect Estrada was responsible for the disappearance of one of their cats, and for stepping on another’s back and injuring its spine. The cat was unable to walk for three weeks.

“I have another dog that has pink ears that doesn’t like him much,” Holly Hayes said, referring to her small dog, Gracie. “He did something to her one time and she bit him and he punched her in the eye. …The kid is just an absolute loser. Just terrible.”

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